Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire
  • omnibus

Riggers?
BAR Poet-in-Residence Raymond Nat Turner
23 Aug 2023
Riggers?
Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, left, is comforted by her mother, Ruby Freeman, at a congressional hearing investigating the events of January 6. (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin / AP)

                                                                    “Riggers?”

                                 (For The Central Park 5; Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss)

                        “Karma is the friend of honesty and the enemy of liars.” —Anonymous

I.
N-word averse world—someone’s singing fog-horned,
dog-whistled flat notes of “Riggers!”
Someone’s singing, “Riggers” are serving him at Karma’s
Cafe from the Capitalist State Machine’s same dirty utensils
“professional vote scammers;” COVID-profiteers used
during violence-riddled reign of terror…laying waste to lives…

Someone’s singing, “Riggers,” yet once purchased full page
ads, “Paper of record,” rigging noose/gallows mobs/framing
5 Black and Brown teen lives—hanging in the balance
Someone’s singing, “Riggers,” when it’s the ugly face of
Capitalism on trial, on blast—on that Midnight Plane to
Georgia —Woo-woo!

II.
Remembering my Mom… Phone wedged
between shoulder and ear— Cooking;
radio NEWS/TV NEWS on. Making meals
for contacts there to share,“What’s Goin’ On?”

“What’s Goin’ On?” What requires direct
Action—Mass action? City action? State,
national action? Always action. Never a
Distraction—She was where We were…

Remembering my Mom… Turning Water-
gate into teachable moments—college classes—
like her Friend’s records, “Message To The Grassroots;” and “The Ballot Or The Bullet…” I wore the grooves off

Remembering revolutionaries teaching me Super Bowl,
Olympic language for lunch bucket brethren practicing
Analysis on crumpled, back pocket sports sections.
Teaching me to be Where they are. “Listen and learn…”
like my Welfare Rights organizing Aunt once told Dr. King.

III.
Cops and soldiers— bad hombres, murderer-rapist-torturer
Death squads stormed Capitalist Hill, J6—7
Died.

Winners of Reconstruction—Training to re-fight the Civil
War—stormed Capitalist Hill, J6—7
Died.

Brownshirts showed up— showed out— for their paper towel-
tossin, pussy-grabbin grifter, Mussolini-wannabe…Commanding,
“Stand back—stand by!”
Statehouses north, south—coast to coast— post-Charlottesville

And you think Long COVID’s a bitch?
Ask your Spanish or Chilean doctor if Long Fascism’s right for you…

© 2023. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe and PayPal.

Donald Trump

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles. Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


Related Stories

Biden's MAGA Obsession Won't Help Democrats
Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
Biden's MAGA Obsession Won't Help Democrats
07 September 2022
Because Joe Biden and democrats act on behalf of the oligarchy instead of the people, they now risk a mid-term election loss. His solution to t
Mr. Magoo, what’s new? “Oh, say, can you see?”
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Mr. Magoo, what’s new? “Oh, say, can you see?”
22 July 2022
I. Didn’t Lynne say something like, “The law’s What they say it is…today…” (????????????????)

More Stories


  • The Editors
    BlackAgendaReport.org
    26 Oct 2023
    Find our work at BlackAgendaReport.org. Thank you.
  • Update on the Black Agenda Report Site
    The Editors
    Update on the Black Agenda Report Site
    24 Oct 2023
    Thank you for your patience as we overcome an unusual circumstance which impacted our ability to publish.
  • Deploying Kenyan Police in Haiti is Unconstitutional
    Willy Mutunga
    Deploying Kenyan Police in Haiti is Unconstitutional
    29 Sep 2023
    Kenya's decision to join a US led occupation of Haiti is an example of imperialism in Black face. According to a former Chief Justice the act is also a violation of Kenya's constitution.
  • Black Agenda Radio September 29, 2023
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio September 29, 2023
    29 Sep 2023
    In this week’s segment we discuss US policy towards African nations, Canada's revelations of Ukraine’s and its own connections with Nazis, and how the restriction on federal funds for abortion…
  • International Month of Action Against AFRICOM
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    International Month of Action Against AFRICOM
    29 Sep 2023
    Netfa Freeman is Co-Coordinator of the Black Alliance for Peace Africa Team. He joins us from Washington to discuss the 4th International Month of Action Against AFRICOM which kicks off with a…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us